Science fiction fan and artist, Dan Patterson, passed away in his O'Fallon, Missouri home on September 13, 2005. A commercial artist for 25 years, he was particularly known for his aeronautical and SF art, but did a wide range of work including the exteriors of the Big Foot monster trucks. He owned and operated Air Power Graphics in St. Charles, Missouri.

Survivors include his companion, Mary Stueck; three sisters, Maureen Patterson , Moira Trapp and Mia Rethorn; and a brother, Terry Patterson.

The funeral will be 2 PM Saturday at the Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 W. Clay, St. Charles, MO 63301; 636-946-7811. Visitation is scheduled from 4 to 8 PM on Friday and from 11 AM until the service on Saturday. A celebration of Dan's life will be held after the funeral (~4pm) at McGurks in O'Fallon. Maps to McGurk's will be available at the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Charles Humane Society in care of Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 West Clay Street, St. Charles, Mo. 63301.

A brief video of Dan at work on one of the Big Foot trucks is online at  http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/video-gallery/videos/BFpaint.mpg

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Gay and I were close to Dan in the seventies and eighties, first in Iowa City and then in Florida. He used to stay with us when he came down to Daytona for Bike Week. He loved his motorcycle until it almost killed him. After he recovered from the accident, he still came to Bike Week for a few years, I guess until we moved away.

With brush and airbrush, he was both facile and thoughtful. He wrote me once and on the back of the envelope had a three-panel cartoon, "How to Draw Nudes." The third panel was "erase clothes."

He was a sweet and gentle man, with something dark and deep in him. and he will be sorely missed.

Joe Haldeman

Posted September 15, 2005